Isfijab

Isfijab is the Arabic name of the modern city of Sayram, located in South Kazakhstan Province. It is derived from Persian Espijab.

History

When Islam first came to Sayram in 766, it was brought by a detachment of Arab and Arabic-speaking volunteers from the already converted lands to the West. Leading this group was a man named Iskak, remembered in Sayram as Iskak-bab. The standard bearer of these soldiers of Islam was none other than Abd al Aziz-baba, whose heroism helped convert the surrounding lands to Islam. One surviving manuscript, entitled "Nasabname" tells how the Muslim warriors under Iskak-bab came to Sayram: 'Iskak-bab invited Nakhibar to the true faith. But Nakhibar replied, "I am a tarsa of the seventieth generation, and my faith is true! That is why I shall fight you." Hand-to-hand combat ensued, and lasted for three days and nights. Ten thousand Nestorian tarsas and fifteen thousand Muslim died for their faith. The color-bearer of the Muslim forces was Abd al Aziz.'

Renaming the City

That same manuscript goes on to describe Iskak-bab's building of the first mosque in Sayram, which would make it the first mosque in modern Kazakhstan, as well. It states, "After that he set up a Friday mosque in Sayram, renamed Isfijab."

Isfijab is spelled alternatively "Ishfijab" and "Ispijab" in English.

References

* Nurazxan, Yerkin (editor), "Sayram Region, 75th Anniversary", 2003